April 1579: When two ships meet off the Pacific coast of New Spain, an enslaved woman seizes the chance to escape.
But Maria has unwittingly joined Francis Drake's circumnavigation voyage and he's about to set sail on a secret detour to find the fabled Anian Straits in the far north.
Sailing into danger, fog and ice on the Golden Hind, a lone woman among eighty men, Maria will be tested to the very limits of her endurance. It will take all her wits to survive and courage to cut the ties that bind her to Drake to pursue her own journey.
How far will Maria go to be truly free?
Inspired by a true story, this is the tale of one woman s uncharted voyage of survival.
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[On the day the treasures of the East are unloaded in the harbour of Acapulco, the feria begins]***
(@Legend_Press, 16 March 2020, 308 pages, ebook, #ARC from @Legend_Press and voluntarily reviewed, #BlogTour 18 March #Legend100)
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Wow, I really enjoyed this book. I've heard of Francis Drake before, though I'm ashamed to admit just through the Uncharted video game franchise. Still, at least I'm not completely ignorant. I raced through this book in a couple of days. This is the kind of book you can't put down once you get started. I was pulled into the story from the first line and it refused to let me go until I'd read the final words. I don't often read historical fiction and this is the kind I enjoy the most. This was a corker of a book. The world-building and setting is fantastic. I could really picture everything and felt like I was on board the ship with Maria. The characters are also spot on as well, very real. This was sheer pleasure to read. I loved every word.
